Gadkari urges BRICS nations to deepen cooperation on sustainable, resilient transport systems
Mumbai, July 11
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday called for deeper cooperation among BRICS nations to build transport systems that are sustainable, resilient, inclusive and future‑ready.
Addressing the third 'BRICS Transport Ministers' Meeting' under India's BRICS Chairship, he said common challenges relating to infrastructure financing, congestion, emissions, road safety and last-mile connectivity require collective solutions.
The minister reaffirmed India's readiness to deepen cooperation through knowledge sharing, capacity building, technological collaboration and joint research in green hydrogen, electric mobility, alternative fuels, digital transport systems and sustainable multimodal infrastructure, according to an official statement.
The collective strength of the grouping presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of global mobility through innovation, partnership and shared responsibility, he added.
Gadkari welcomed Transport Ministers, Heads of Delegation, senior officials and delegates from BRICS Member Countries to Nagpur and described the meeting as a significant step towards strengthening transport cooperation among emerging economies, the statement from Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said.
The minister added that India's BRIC chairship guided by the theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", reflects a people‑centric, "Humanity First" approach inspired by the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
Gadkari highlighted India's rapid transformation across road, rail, maritime and aviation sectors, citing the world's second‑largest road network and expanded access‑controlled expressways.
He referred to the Delhi‑Dehradun Economic Corridor, the Sonamarg Tunnel and over 10,000 kilometres of Greenfield Expressways as examples of combining infrastructure development with environmental sustainability and technological innovation.
He also highlighted the Hybrid Annuity Model as a successful framework for mobilising private investment in infrastructure.
Gadkari said India's railways have undergone unprecedented modernisation through near-complete electrification of the broad-gauge network, expansion of Vande Bharat services, progress on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor and landmark engineering achievements such as the new Pamban Bridge.
The minister also highlighted the 'Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047', digital initiatives including e-Navik and e-Samudra, and the Green Shipping initiative as important steps towards strengthening maritime infrastructure and logistics efficiency.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Cheers to Gadkari ji for pushing green hydrogen and electric mobility! 💚 But will BRICS really cooperate or is this just another talk show? We need to see actual tech sharing, not just photo ops. Though, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is a beautiful philosophy—hope it translates to real action!
As someone living in Mumbai, I appreciate the focus on last-mile connectivity. The local trains and BEST buses are okay, but the metro? Still a mess in many areas. I hope BRICS collaboration brings in best practices from Brazil's bus rapid transit or Russia's rail systems.
Great to see India chairing BRICS and focusing on sustainability. But I hope we also address rural roads—in villages, people still struggle with kuccha roads during monsoon. The 'Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047' sounds ambitious, but what about the everyday farmer who just needs a better road to market? 🚜
The Hybrid Annuity Model is indeed a game-changer for private investment. But with BRICS, we must ensure that Indian companies get a fair share—not just Chinese or Russian firms taking over. Also, green hydrogen is great, but at what cost? Let's not hype before we have scalable technology.
Impressive to see India's rapid transformation! But honestly, Vande Bharat trains are still too expensive for the common man. And the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train? It's been dragging on for years. Let's get the basics right first before dreaming of high-speed corridors.
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